2005 WNBA Mock Draft v. 1.0

Kevin Pelton, storm.wnba.com | Apr. 7, 2005
Taking a look at each team's needs and the best players available, storm.wnba.com predicts who will end up going where come April 16. This mock draft is for recreational use only, and always keep in mind storm.wnba.com's mock draft guarantee: All predictions wrong or your money back. (See, you don't pay anything to read this … you get the picture.)

F/C Janel McCarville
Other mock drafts have largely led off with Duke forward Monique Currie, but with the recent announcement she won't enter the Draft, there is some confusion at the top. The Sting has a full starting lineup and a couple of solid reserves, but not a lot of depth up front. You have to think right now they're going McCarville or Sandora Irvin.

C Sandora Irvin
A lot of rumors flying about the Fever taking a perimeter player in this spot, but would that make sense? Indiana Coach Brian Winters said last year he thinks Tamika Catchings' natural position is small forward, and the Fever brought in Tully Bevilaqua to start at the point alongside Kelly Miller. Stranger things have happened, but I see the Fever going with the premier post left of McCarville and Irvin.

F Kendra Wecker
The Phoenix team found itself in a tough position, needing a post player but not thinking any of them great value. So instead they went with a perimeter player and played small. The Mercury? No, the Phoenix Suns, actually, and they've had no shortage of success. Remember, Phoenix went with Penny Taylor at power forward at the start of last season before Nikki McCray proved not to be a starter anymore. Wecker is a much better rebounder (a la Shawn Marion for the Suns) who could make that lineup work. Tell me you want to guard a lineup of Diana Taurasi, Anna DeForge, Wecker, Taylor and Kamila Vodichkova. That's what I thought.

F Jacqueline Batteast
Nobody is more affected by Currie not declaring than the Silver Stars. Not only is this a three-player draft at the top, Wecker was a perfect fit for the Silver Stars needs at small forward. Now, they're left with a compromise. Tan White will certainly be in the discussion, as she would give San Antonio much-needed outside shooting, but the Silver Stars already have plenty of small guards. After lengthy deliberations, I have them plugging in Batteast at small forward and having her spend hours during training camp working on her shooting.

G Tan White
If the first four picks play out as above, the Comets have some nice options to upgrade their guard core. Temeka Johnson's name has been floated, and she'd fit Van Chancellor's old-school point guard philosophy, while Dionnah Jackson should also be in the mix. Ultimately, I like them going for White's versatility. While neither player is a true point guard, a White-Janeth Arcain backcourt could share ballhandling duties.

G Dionnah JacksonAlana Beard could end up playing anywhere from small forward to point guard next season, and her versatility gives Washington some options here. The best player on the board at this point is probably Jackson, and with no true point guards in the fold, picking her seems to make sense for the Mystics.

C Sancho Lyttle
The Shock has the starting lineup covered for the foreseeable future, so it's all about backups for Bill Laimbeer and company. Second-year players Chandi Jones and Iciss Tillis can be expected to step up next season, leaving some minutes in the middle behind Ruth Riley. Detroit already added Irina Osipova as a free agent, but you can never have too much size.

C Katie Feenstra
The WNBA's worst-kept secret is that the Sun is looking to add size. The goal is to move Taj McWilliams-Franklin to power forward this season and put a true center alongside her. That could be achieved by trading this pick; if the Sun holds on to it, Connecticut has been connected with Feenstra. At 6-8, there's no arguing that she's a true center. A tip of the cap here to Keegan and InsanePlatypus.com's latest mock draft; we've somehow managed to agree on the last four picks (though things diverge from here).

G Roneeka Hodges
If you like Wild Card picks, here's one for you. We know two things about the Monarchs. First, they need guards. Sacramento goes two-deep across the front line, but has rookie foreigners in the backcourt behind Ticha Penicheiro and Kara Lawson. Second, the Monarchs need better shooters - always. Unfortunately, there aren't really any good shooters left amongst the guards expected to go in the first round. Hodges made 42 threes as a senior and can certainly score. Will it happen? No. Am I picking it anyway? Yes.

G Kristin Haynie
The Liberty seems likely to go to a guard; which one is a more difficult question. I guess I get paid the big bucks for calls like this. I'm going with Haynie - something of a surprise that she goes ahead of Johnson - because she's big enough that the Liberty could get away with playing her in the backcourt with Becky Hammon and allowing Haynie to set up the offense and Hammon to do what she does best, score the basketball.

G Temeka Johnson
With Helen Darling in Charlotte and Teresa Edwards moving towards her 41st birthday, the Lynx have to be going for a point guard here, even with Kristi Harrower expected back in Minnesota. Haynie might be a better fit because of her size, but with her off the board, the Lynx would have no choice but to go with Johnson and enjoy having her set up Katie Smith for open looks and Nicole Ohlde inside.

G Tanisha Wright
About the safest thing that can be said about Anne Donovan's thinking - admittedly not something we have a lot of extra insight into - is that the Storm will probably pick the proverbial Best Player Available at pick 12, something free agency has given the flexibility to do. If the draft plays out this way, that would leave Wright as the best player left and give the Storm a top-flight perimeter defender to turn loose off the bench.

F Angelina Williams
With Stacey Dales-Schuman traded her jersey for a nice pantsuit and a spot behind the desk on ESPN, the Mystics could probably use to add a small forward here. There are no shortage of options, and Shrya Ely and Kristen Mann would also be in the mix, but we'll have Washington go for Williams' versatility.